Скачать или смотреть Dylan Porter, IBM Z Student Ambassador, Hong Kong University, discusses IBM Z Day 2025

Dez Blanchfield is joined by Dylan Porter, IBM Z Student Ambassador and Bachelor of Engineering student in Computer Science at Hong Kong University, to discuss the opportunities in the mainframe ecosystem, his journey to becoming an ambassador, and the importance of the IBM Z Day 2025 event for students and professionals alike.

Dylan shares that the Ambassador role is about more than just programming; it's about networking with professionals and becoming part of the IBM community. His unique experience balances university studies with expanding his coding skills in a professional setting.

IBM Z Day 2025: Gateway to a Decades-Long Career

The annual IBM Z Day 2025 is a no-cost, virtual conference on November 12th that serves as a crucial bridge between the educational world and the professional world.

The Student Ambassador Journey

Dylan details how he secured his role by fulfilling technical requirements through the IBM Z-Skills platform. He used the free resources on Z-Explore to learn the fundamentals of mainframe technology, earning the required concepts badge after just 10–12 hours of dedicated learning.

Featured Tracks and Topics

Dylan will be speaking live during the event on the Skills Track, encouraging his peers and the wider audience to attend. The event covers six core areas:

• Do More at the Core with IBM Z: Focuses on maximizing security and compute by keeping critical data and logic on the Z/LinuxONE platform.

• Get AI Value Today: Demonstrates how to effectively adopt and implement Generative AI and Agentic AI to gain immediate business value.

• Protect Critical Data and Workloads: Covers high-level security challenges, including the emerging need for quantum-safe encryption.

• Innovation Showcase (LinuxONE & Z): Highlights the amazing power of the platform, such as managing 70% of the world's financial transactions with staggering 30 milliseconds of downtime per year.

LinuxONE and Skills: Modernizing the Mainframe

Dylan notes that many students perceive the mainframe as "old and obsolete." However, the LinuxONE platform is changing that narrative:

• Modern Languages & Open Source: LinuxONE gives developers the same environment as hyperscalers, supporting Python, Java, and modern open source tools—all integrated with the security and reliability of the mainframe.

• Refactoring: New tools like Watson X Code Assistant are enabling developers to use Generative AI to analyze and refactor older code (like COBOL) into modern languages, creating a huge boom of opportunities.

• Career Stability: Dylan highlights that the IBM Z ecosystem offers a strong, multi-decade career path. Professionals can pivot between roles (from developer to system architect) and work on the very latest innovations—including AI, quantum co-processors, and cutting-edge security—for decades.

Earn Your Badge

Attendees can earn four IBM digital badges for their CV and LinkedIn profiles by completing training in these critical areas:

• AI and Data
• Security
• Modernization
• IBM Z Skills

Dylan believes that IBM Z Day will future-proof careers and organizational strategies by being on the "forefront of modern technology" and predicting market trends.

To register for the FREE IBM Z Day 2025 Virtual Conference:

Click the link below and register immediately:

• https://sociaall.short.gy/ibm-z-day-2025

Bring a friend: Gather colleagues for a watch party to discuss the insights and opportunities.

To learn more about Dylan Porter and IBM Z:

Follow Dylan on LinkedIn:

•   / tdporter  

Visit the IBM Z Skills program and check out Z-Explore:

• https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure...

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